The present invention is directed to devices used to convey objects from one location to another. In its most preferred form, the present invention is directed to an endless conveyor belt and a splicing member for forming the endless conveyor belt.
Endless conveyor belts have been widely used to transport a number of different objects from one location to another. For example, endless conveyor belts have been used in the food processing industry to transport food products such as poultry, seafood, vegetables, cookies, crackers, bagels, tortillas and red meat. Typical food processes in which endless conveyor belts have been used include breading, battering, forming, frying, cooking, coating and baking. Endless conveyor belts have also been used in the food service industry to transport food products such as pizza, seafood, lunchmeat and toast. Endless conveyor belts can be found in this industry in impingement ovens in retail outlets, retail toasters and meat slicing systems to name a few. Further, endless conveyor belts have been used to transport confectionary food products including chocolate coatings and sugar coatings. Endless conveyor belts have also been used in the automotive industry, textile industry and electronics industry to transport various objects from one location to another.
One prior art endless conveyor belt that has been used in a wide variety of applications is the FLEXX FLOW endless belt manufactured by Lumsden Flexx Flow, Inc. While the FLEXX FLOW endless conveyor belt has been widely accepted by a number of different industries, it has some drawbacks as explained in detail hereinafter. The FLEXX FLOW endless conveyor belt includes a plurality of interconnected wire segments that form a conveying surface to transport various objects from one location to another. The conveying surface has first and second ends that are connected together by a single splice wire. In the field, it is very difficult to connect the first and second ends of the conveying surface using the single splice wire. Currently, the single splice wire is woven through the first and second ends to connect the same to form an endless conveyor belt. This process is extremely difficult and time consuming. Further, on occasion, the splicing wire is so distorted in the weaving process that the belt no longer works or breaks prematurely.
As an alternative to the single splice wire, a multiple segment splicing element has been used. This previously known multiple segment splicing element includes a plurality of wire sections and a plurality of stainless steel hollow tubes. The wire sections are woven into the first and second ends of the conveying surface and inserted into adjacent ends of the hollow tube to connect portions of the first end to the second end of the conveying surface. The ends of the hollow tube are crimped or otherwise squeezed to secure the adjoining wire sections. While this process of splicing to form an endless conveyor belt is somewhat easier than the single splice wire technique, it suffers from significant drawbacks. First, after a period of use, the hollow stainless steel tubes can become dislodged and fall off the endless belt. This is undesirable because the integrity of the endless belt is compromised and the hollow connecting tube can become embedded in the food products or other article being carried. Further, the crimping process creates a gap between the hollow tube and the adjoining wire sections. Bacteria can readily lodge in the gaps formed during the crimping process. This is extremely undesirable when, for example, food products are being transported. The USDA will not allow the use of the hollow stainless steel tubes because bacteria can readily form in the gaps.
While it has been known to use sealing members formed from plastic to seal, for example, electrical wiring splices, it has not previously been known how to overcome the significant drawbacks of the stainless steel tube splicing system used in endless conveyor belts.
An object of the preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel and unobvious endless conveyor belt and splicing member for forming the endless conveyor belt.
Another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an endless conveyor belt that can be readily formed in the field.
A further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an endless conveyor belt that can be readily formed free of gaps or space in which bacteria can lodge.
Still a further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide an endless conveyor belt that can be used for prolonged periods of time without the structural integrity becoming compromised.
Yet still a further object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a splicing member that can be used in the filed by a relatively unskilled laborer to readily form an endless belt.
Another object of a preferred embodiment of the present invention is to provide a splicing member that can readily form an endless belt without distorting any component of the splicing member or the conveyor.
It must be understood that no one embodiment of the present invention need include all of the aforementioned objects of the present invention. Rather, a given embodiment may include one or none of the aforementioned objects. Accordingly, these objects are not to be used to limit the scope of the claims of the present invention.
In summary, one embodiment of the present invention is directed to an endless conveyor belt comprising a plurality of interconnected wire segments forming a conveying surface to convey at least one article from one point to another. The conveying surface includes first and seconds ends and a plurality of openings. A splicing member connects the first end of the conveying surface to the second end of the conveying surface to form an endless conveyor belt. The splicing member includes at least first and second wire sections, a hollow connecting tube and at least one sealing member. The hollow connecting tube has first and second ends. A portion of the first wire section is inserted into the first end of the hollow connecting tube thereby forming a first exposed area. A portion of the second wire section is inserted into the second end of the hollow connecting tube thereby forming a second exposed area. The at least one sealing member is deposed relative to the hollow connecting tube and the first and second wire sections to seal at least one of the first and second exposed areas.
Another embodiment of the present invention is directed to a splicing member for forming an endless conveyor belt. The splicing member comprises at least first and second wire sections. The splicing member further includes at least one hollow connecting tube having first and second ends. The first end of the hollow connecting tube is adapted to receive a portion of the first wire section thereby forming a first exposed area. The second end of the hollow connecting tube is adapted to receive a portion of the second wire section thereby forming a second exposed area. At least one sealing member is adapted to seal at least one of the first and second exposed areas.
A further embodiment of the present invention is directed to an endless conveyor belt for conveying a food product from one point to another. The endless belt comprises a plurality of interconnected wire segments forming a conveying surface to convey a food product from one point to another. The conveying surface has first and seconds ends and a plurality of openings. A splicing member connects the first end of the conveying surface to the second end of the conveying surface to form an endless conveyor belt. The splicing member includes at least first and second wire sections, a hollow connecting tube and at least one sealing member. The hollow connecting tube has first and second ends. A portion of the first wire section is inserted into the first end of the hollow connecting tube forming a first exposed area. A portion of the second wire section is inserted into the second end of the hollow connecting tube forming a second exposed area. The at least one sealing member is hollow and has first and second ends. The sealing member has a length greater than the hollow connecting tube. The hollow connecting tube is inserted into the sealing member. The first end of the sealing member is heat sealed to the first wire section adjacent the first exposed area to seal the first exposed area. The second end of the sealing member is heat sealed to the second wire section adjacent the second exposed area to seal the second exposed area.
Still another embodiment of the present invention is directed to an endless conveyor belt comprising a plurality of interconnected segments forming a conveying surface to convey at least one article from one point to another. The conveying surface has first and seconds ends and a plurality of openings. A splicing member connects the first end of the conveying surface to the second end of the conveying surface to form an endless conveyor belt. The splicing member includes at least first and second sections, a connecting member and at least one sealing member. The connecting member has first and second ends. A portion of the first section is connected to the first end of the connecting member thereby forming a first exposed area. A portion of the second section is connected to the second end of the connecting member thereby forming a second exposed area. The at least one sealing member is deposed relative to the connecting member and the first and second sections to seal at least one of the first and second exposed areas.